


Metamorphosis

by mutantvoid



Category: Hemlock Grove
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29523132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mutantvoid/pseuds/mutantvoid
Summary: When Nora Brooks is forced to move from New Hampshire to tiny Hemlock Grove she doesn't start with the right foot, immediately finding herself in a clash of personalities with her arrogant classmate Roman Godfrey. Eager to finish her senior year of high school in peace, Nora tries her best to stay out of his sight but comes to the realization it might be an impossible task.
Relationships: Roman Godfrey/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

"So you really can't come tonight? We're thinking about watching a movie, but nothing has been decided yet." Sabrina asked.

I straightened my posture and adjusted my backpack as we swiftly left the school building. "I'm sorry Sabrina... I would go, you know I would, but my parents got this reservation weeks ago, I can't just ditch them." I explained honestly.

"Oh right, you told me about that. Sorry, it completely flew over my head!" She frowned puzzlingly as she resumed her endless texting.

"It's okay. My bus just arrived. See you on Monday?" I waved and it took her a moment to realize I was walking away.

"See ya Nora! Have fun!" She yelled, finally looking away from the phone screen.

I took the bus back home, staring out the window without processing a thing, and phasing out with my music.

I couldn't shake off this feeling in my stomach.

My parents have been reminding me all week to dismiss any possible plans this Friday and have dinner with them at a fancy restaurant downtown.

We don't usually go out to eat, but what has been really alarming to me is the fact that they have indirectly implied they want to discuss something important. Being the pessimist I am, I've been assuming the worst and my thoughts have been whirling inside my head with different possibilities all week. Is mom sick? Did my dad get fired? Are they getting a divorce? All of the above?

I just couldn't wrap my head around what piece of information was so pressing they couldn't reveal it straightaway. The only thing keeping me sane is the logical thought that if it was something really terrible they wouldn't torture me all this time. At least I like to believe my parents aren't that cruel. Well... No, they certainly would have said something.

The music actually helped to ease out my mind a little and quickly I found myself unlocking the front door of our building.

My parents and I live in a small apartment down in the edge of Laconia, New Hampshire, where pets are not allowed, and noisy elderly women surround our neighborhood like surveillance cameras. I took the stairs to the second floor where I was met by Mrs. Warren wiping the floor and humming what sounded like a jam from her time.

Discreetly, I said my greetings and closed the door behind me before she had the chance to engage in a conversation. Usually I wouldn't mind small talk with her, she's an amazing cook and a nice neighbor, but I was exhausted from school, I just wanted to zone out.

"Mom?" I inspected the living room and quickly realized I was alone in the apartment. Considering the time dad was still working, and mom probably went out to buy groceries. With a yawn, I threw my backpack as far away from my shoulders as possible and hustled down the hall to my room.

My room, my embarrassing room, is filled with cheesy posters, dolls and sparkly objects, despite the fact I've grown out of those interests a long time ago.

I would change it completely but my parents are in what they like to call a 'fragile era'. Mom doesn't have a job and we've been living off my dad's salary for the past two years. Needless to say redecorating my room is the least of our concerns right now.

I sat on my desk and grabbed my pencil, tempted to finish the drawing in front of me. I started sketching in the summer out of boredom, going as far as to learn techniques from tutorials online. Unfortunately I can't declare I'm the next Picasso, but it definitely could be worse.

I draw to pass the time, let out my emotions, and just because I simply love to get a hold of the pencil. Every single one of my drawings expresses a thought, a dream or a feeling. Since I live a pretty ordinary life dreams are the most common theme. Usually I just let my subconscious guide my fingers and see what comes out of it.

Probably half an hour had passed when I heard the front door unlocking. From the frantic sounds and rattling it was mom, and her loud voice in the kitchen confirmed it a second later.

"Nora?" She called out.

"I'm here!" I yelled.

Quickly, I saved my pencil and left my room in a neutral mood now that I knew mom was home. However when I entered the kitchen I saw that she had two bags of groceries on top of the counters, something that caught me off guard.

"What's the occasion?" I asked curiously, analyzing the content inside with squinted eyes. Eggs, bread, juice, milk, the usual groceries, but something was definitely off. This was double the food mom usually buys. "I thought we were going out to eat?" I asked a bit confused.

"We are, I just bought some extras for the weekend." Mom said simply, unfazed by my surprised reaction. "We need to be ready by 7, the reservation is really tight. Give me a hand here."

I rolled up my sleeves, helping her yet not particularly satisfied with the answer I received.

*:･ﾟ✧

The drive was uneventful and quiet, but the closer we got to the luxurious building the more nervous I got. When we passed all the fancy shops I saw with relief that the restaurant was in sight, and mom gave me a comforting smile from the passenger seat.

"So..." I began but was cut off by my father's assertive voice.

"We're still in the parking lot, Nora. Jesus." He puffed out of his chest and mom laughed.

"There's nothing to worry about. Do you seriously think we'd bring you here if we had bad news?" She challenged with a raised brow.

"Depends on what they're serving." I'm really picky with food and this comment made mom roll her eyes to the back of her head.

After several failed attempts of trying to figure out what was going on, I merely subjected myself to follow them to the entrance of the building.

The restaurant was something like I'd never seen before, the beautiful purple color scheme contrasting with all the golden foliage around. We didn't usually explore this part of the city and it was a shame, the classy environment was definitely worth the trip.

The space was unsurprisingly crowded for a Friday night and we were welcomed by friendly salutations. After waiting in a long line we were brought to one of the empty tables and I breathed out in suspense.

A waitress came around, and I quickly chose the cheapest and most familiar food of the menu out of habit. Because of this, I was in shock to see mom and dad struggling with their choices.

"Did you win the lottery or a television quiz I'm not aware of?" I accused when the waitress picked up our cards and left.

Mom laughed again while dad just looked like he was holding back a comment.

"How was school today?" He asked instead.

I threw my hands up in the air in frustration. "Please dad. I don't wanna talk about school, this has been torturous enough."

They glanced at each other and from the looks on their faces seemed to give in. I braced myself, I guessed the wait was over, I was finally going to find out what they've been so secretive about. Dad just kept looking back and forth between us hesitantly, it was starting to make me feel nauseous.

After ten seconds of silence I couldn't take it anymore. "Just say it!"

Mom nodded but still didn't lift her head up. "So as you know your dad has been working the double in the company these past few months... with a salary that can only be described as miserable considering what he does." She stated tiredly.

Dad has been working the double because someone had the brilliant idea of presenting a resignation without previous warning leaving him with extra paperwork. He works as an insurance agent and has always been the most dedicated employee.

I nodded my head, wondering where she was going with this. "Yeah..."

"Well, Carl, you know Carl Harrison, he was in college with your dad, contacted us recently..." She glanced over at dad with a proud smile. "Basically Carl's company is looking for a new claims adjuster and Carl recommended your father. Your father was interviewed, went through all the required interviews, and... he was chosen! Out of 7 candidates!" She practically jumped a little on her seat with excitement.

"Wow..." I said a bit dumbfounded, but mostly relieved for obvious reasons. "Dad, that's great! This is great news." I cheered, an inflection of insecurities in my voice when I looked over at dad's expression and realized they weren't done.

He closed his eyes and my relief was immediately cut short. "The job is in Hemlock Grove."

Wait, what? "Where is that?"

"It's a small town in Pennsylvania." He wasn't able to face me for long.

My smile slowly died and I nervously twisted my hands in my lap. "So does this mean you're moving out? It's a temporary job?" I asked and watched as they glanced at each other apprehensively.

"No, this means we're all moving out. It's not temporary, it's a solid position. We've already seen some houses in Hemlock Grove, actually I have seen some houses, your mother has only seen pictures, she'll go there later this week but yeah... We're moving to Pennsylvania!" He tried to sound excited near the end and I fought the urge to bang my head against the nearest wall.

"What? How did you go to Hemlock Grove without telling me?" I asked baffled.

"Last weekend when I told you your dad went to Vermont to visit grandma he was actually in Hemlock Grove to—" Mom responded for him but I didn't give her a chance to finish that sentence.

"You're joking right?" I blurted out and mom's friendly smile went missing. "You've seen houses? Mom has seen pictures? What have I seen?! Why are you only telling me this AFTER making final decisions?!" I tried not to be loud since we were in a public space, but I wasn't exactly thinking clearly in the moment.

This was beyond frustrating and unexpected. I have my life here, all my friends, my school, my routine and I wasn't ready to drop any of those things any time soon.

Mom raised her voice to reprehend me. "We didn't discuss this before so you didn't have to worry in vain like you're doing right now! Just know there's no reason to act this way, we wanted to be certain of our options. If you're concerned about school, you'll catch up with their program there in no time." Mom's friendly smile returned and I didn't know whether to cuss or cry.

"In no time? Wait, when is this happening?" I managed to ask while gritting through my teeth.

"We're moving in three weeks." Mom announced like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I was about to snap when the waitress popped up from behind me with our drinks. As soon as she turned her back to our table the tension reinstalled itself, and I looked down to examine my empty plate, knowing I had completely lost my appetite.

"Nora, this is our chance to start with a clean sheet of paper." Mom persisted. I knew our financial situation wasn't the best here but moving? Starting all over again in a completely different place was definitely not one of the possible scenarios running through my head earlier today.

"It's my senior year of high school. I don't want a fresh start! Have you even considered that I have a life here too? You keep this... bomb away from me all this time, drop it on my face and expect me to embrace it." I said dramatically, unaware of a few curious heads turning our way. The way I see it bomb is the best word to describe this revelation.

Dad spoke calmly. "Here things are not looking promising, the company is going bankrupt. If we stay I'll probably not have a job by the end of this year. I'll have to quit."

I was in shock so my voice came out in a whisper. "Are things really that bad?"

"Unfortunately yes." Dad sighed. "Listen, we know you have your plan here but I think you're smart enough to understand this is an incredible way to turn things around for us. The only reason we kept this a secret for so long was just so you didn't have to deal with the stress like your mother said. You have enough of that in school, this being your senior year and all. We wanted to have the final confirmation before we informed you."

My head felt dizzy from soaking in new information. "Is this because I was fired? I told you it wasn't my fault. I can find something else! I can help you!" I begged desperately. I was fired from a part-time job as a receptionist in an art gallery three months ago because, being the genius I am, I forgot the keys inside and locked everyone out for hours.

When I was going over possible solutions with the manager he said I was fired and he had never met anyone as dumb as me, an observation that sure didn't help my self confidence. I was just glad I didn't have to deal with that idiot anymore. But now I would do anything to avoid this move, including apologizing and begging said idiot for a second chance.

"Please don't be ridiculous, it has absolutely nothing to do with that. This is a good thing and you're gonna have to accept it sooner or later. You should be happy for your dad!" Mom said intensely.

"But..." I began and stopped myself before I could say some really dumb stuff I didn't mean. It seemed like my arguments and perspective had no impact in their decision whatsoever. At the end of the day I was going to have to accept this reality whether I liked it or not.

I just did everyone a favor, nodded my head, and listened to whatever they had to say next with an emotionless expression on my face. I just couldn't believe it. I wasn't sure when I was going to be able to start the process of accepting the unavoidable changes happening around me.

Laconia is all I've ever known, I feel comfortable here. The weather is nice, school isn't the worst and above all I'm surrounded by people I like. I might not be particularly close with the girls I hang out with, but at least I have someone.

When we got home and I was finally alone locked up in my room I considered turning on my laptop and googling everything there is to know about Hemlock Grove, but I was so angry I just wanted to block out related thoughts. So I dropped down on my bed in disbelief, not bothering to remove my make-up or my dress.

This felt like such an impulsive commitment from my parents, something so rushed and weakly thought-through. I had to remind myself they'd been planning this behind my back for months. I take back what I said before, this was just pure cruelty.

Since I don't have a punching bag, I took my pillow and slapped it against my bed violently. I refused to believe this was happening, and only with that temporary illusion in my mind was I able to lose consciousness and find sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Faint sunshine illuminated my closed eyelids, forcing me to turn my back to the window and slowly return to a conscious state of mind. No dreams, no turning, no tossing, surprisingly I had slept peacefully tonight.

Groaning, I stretched my arms in the small bed and buried my face in the pillow, letting the whole of my muscles relax. I glanced over at the clock on the nightstand, bringing it closer to my face to force the numbers into focus. Ten-thirty. I didn't want to move from my bed and I didn't want to move out of Laconia yet both things were bound to happen eventually, one sooner than the other.

Slowly swinging my legs out of the sheets, I sat up and turned on my laptop before dragging myself to the kitchen to fill up my growling stomach. Mom was reading on the couch and doing what she does best: moving on. To her nothing out of the ordinary happened last night, and today is just another regular Saturday!

"Morning honey." She tried to be cheerful. I sent her a death glare she didn't catch and bent over to look at the contents of the fridge.

I assumed dad heard me since he popped out of their room with a hammer on his hand. I was hoping he would smash it on my head but he just frowned. "Did you sleep with your dress on, Nora?"

Mom looked up to watch me, quickly disapproving my lazy state. "Wipe all that old makeup off your face, lady."

I nodded silently and tried my best to not to glance directly at anyone's face. I didn't want them to know how miserable I was feeling so I just picked up my cereal once I got it ready and left. After getting across the hall, I turned to see if they were following me, but I just saw exchanging worried glances. At least for now they were giving me some space and allowing me to take this situation at my own pace.

I knew dad understood my situation better than mom, we had always been closer. Not only in levels of shared interests; there's an unspoken current of friendship and loyalty between us. He tends to back me up almost always although he is generally quieter in doing so. The idea to have a fancy dinner at an expensive restaurant to announce our move belonged to my mom, I didn't even need to ask to be sure.

I returned to my bedroom and plopped down on the chair, pleased to see everything has loaded. I went on a google search and looked up 'Hemlock Grove', hoping to get some information as I guzzled down my breakfast.

The first useful content I found was on the town's steel mill that closed down ages ago and the Godfrey Institute for Biomedical Technologies.

The institute seems to be a pretty big deal and I even found some articles accusing the corporation of conducting bizarre experiments. Jesus what were my parents getting ourselves into? I wouldn't be surprised to see flying zebras roaming on the sidewalks of Hemlock Grove.

Shaking my head in disapproval, I clicked on some of the images, analyzing the results with an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach. I'll grudgingly admit it looked like a nice, cozy town. The type of town retired people go to spend the rest of their lives around nature and quietness.

Hemlock Grove High School looked very Gothic, clean and large. School is definitely my biggest concern at the moment. Not school school, but the fact that I'll be forced to meet new people, form new friendships.

I also ended up searching for dad's company. It had an updated and presentable website and a good reputation online, at least there weren't any concerns regarding that chunk.

In the afternoon dad was already moving some of the furniture around the apartment and came by my room to ask for extra assistance. I heard male voices, I knew he called some of our neighbors, so I didn't understand why he would need me in the middle of that mess. But that's where it all began, with dismantling a simple bed frame. Next thing I knew, three weeks later, the apartment was empty and ready for new inhabitants.

*:･ﾟ

Saying goodbye to my friends was surprisingly the easiest part of this process. Of course I felt sad, but not in the stunned and heartbroken way I imagined this situations usually go down. We prepared a final dinner together where we ended up drinking a little bit of alcohol. I suspect they enjoyed it more than I did, though I couldn't really complain.

During the past three weeks I felt distant from them and from my parents, even from myself, like this situation was happening to someone else and I was simply observing. Activities such as listening to morbid songs and staring blankly at walls quickly grew their ways into my habits. No one, except my dad, noticed how angry and unhappy I was feeling, or if they did, they didn't say a thing.

I realized I was always trying to blame someone. Dad, mom, even Carl for the talk that triggered all of these permanent changes. The truth was I had absolutely no one to blame. Unexpected things are bound to happen because we're in a world where change is guaranteed- Okay, no. - It's Carl's fault. I've never wished anyone dead or anything, but yesterday, when dad was on the phone with him, I soooo wanted him to be found alive.

My exhaustion almost caused me to fall asleep in the backseat of the car so I jerked myself awake and increased the volume of my music. This was going to be a six hour drive if we got lucky and I wanted to see as much as I could of the places we would be sliding through.

Unfortunately, I don't know exactly when I fell asleep but I only regained consciousness when we stopped to eat lunch. I was already feeling thoroughly exhausted and tense and we hadn't even exited the first service station yet.

On a brighter note, the sun was setting when we arrived to Hemlock Grove, creating a beautiful and pleasant mix of orange and pink colors in the horizon. I was almost angry at myself for appreciating the landscape.

As we passed all the small buildings and shops, I noticed that there seemed to be a serious contrast between the poor and the rich in the alignment of the streets. The Godfrey tower I saw online weeks ago was one of the most intriguing things that caught my eye.

A skyscraper in the distance, standing out not only because of its height and luxurious architecture but also its thousands windows that seemed to be looking down on the town's inhabitants.

When we reached our neighborhood and I got out of the car it was hard to walk because my legs were numb and it felt like a thousand bees had stung my ass. Hesitantly, I looked up to face the house in front of me, following the little walkway that lead up to the front door of my new home.

The best way to describe it would be to call it a rustic looking house located in the suburbs, in close proximity to nature and everything good and bad that comes with it. The walkway was lined with bushes and colorful white flowers on each side, it was like a sight out of a kids cartoon.

My parents were here a week ago to sign the papers and I only saw pictures, but from the outside I could already tell it was much larger than I mentally calculated. Much larger and roomier than our apartment in Laconia.

Tall ceilings, a spacious entrance hall with winding stairs, a fireplace, a dining room, even a small yard in the back. Feeling a little curious, I went up the stairs and peaked into each room.

At the end of the hall was a bathroom and my medium sized room. The walls a color of a deep brown with a lame touch of sprinkling white. Twice the size of my old room. My window was facing the forest as well as what seemed to be a cemetery in the distance. I didn't know how to feel about that and stood at the sill, lost in my thoughts watching the birds interacting for a moment, until mom sneaked up behind me to announce we need to get started downstairs.

I followed her and while the moving van workers labored, our new neighbors walked over to greet us and welcome us to the neighborhood. Surprise, surprise: a retired couple very interested in knowing where we had come from. I wasn't paying attention but I think they even suggested a dinner at their house once we got things settled.

Two hours of blurry back and forth movements later, everyone eventually left and that's when I wondered how long it was going to take us to unpack and really start settling in.

Our entrance hall was stuffed with boxes to the ceiling and I could barely spot my parents in the middle of the card boards. Thankfully we had labeled all the boxes carefully so it was just a matter of finding the right ones.

"So, what do you think so far?" Dad asked while I gathered my boxes in a pile.

I put my hands on my hips and took another look around. "It's okay I guess." I admitted reluctantly. "At least people won't be stepping on our ceiling anymore." That was probably the only thing I hated about living in an apartment. No sense of privacy.

"See? That won't be a problem here." Mom sounded out of breath from moving around.

"You're right, it won't but other problems will eventually emerge. We'll have triple the spiders, centipedes, ants, don't even get me started on the amount of rats th-"

"Nora!" Mom yelled. I knew she was terrified of rats but still I couldn't help but laugh. Her reaction was priceless.

Mom cocked her head to the side with a satisfied nod. "Finally, she smiles! At my expense, but she smiles!"

I put my index finger up. "Don't forget I'm not pleased with any of this."

Mom smiled mischievously and just as she was about to climb up the stairs winked at me.

I shook my head and looked up at one of the naked windows, noticing the moon was in its waning crescent form; the street lamps were doing a poor job of overshadowing the inky black sky. Surprisingly, I felt a sensation of relaxation wash over me and my breathing settled to a composed rhythm.

By the end of the night, my anger was slightly declining and all that remained was half empty boxes.

*:･ﾟ

I plugged up my phone into the outlet in the bathroom so I could hear my music while I was in the shower. Yesterday was the third and last day we had to settle things down. We had been so busy setting up the rest of the furniture that we didn't have the opportunity to explore the town yet, not that there's much to explore anyway. There were still some boxes to unpack, nothing major or crucial for the moment.

Mom took care of my transfer to Hemlock Grove High School and I was officially starting today. She even gave me permission to take our car today since the traffic here is "close to nonexistent".

Once I finished my shower, I brushed my teeth and hair religiously and put on simple make-up. Within moments I was descending the stairs to the kitchen which had just turned into a blur of activity.

Dad left with Carl and I finished my breakfast entirely, savoring every bite of my toast in hopes of making the knots in my stomach untangle or at least shrink. I noticed mom staring so I gave her a small smile as I placed the dishes in the sink.

"You have everything? You sure you don't want me to go with you? I can walk back." Mom yawned.

"Yeah, it's fine. You don't need to do that mom." I sighed as I picked up the car keys from the dining room table and moved towards the door. "I should go, I wouldn't want to miss this." I said sarcastically, but mom didn't detect it. "See you later."

"Good luck!" Mom said happily before I abruptly shut the door behind me. How long was it going to take for her to notice there's nothing joyful about my situation?

The sun was out and the birds were chirping harmoniously in the trees above me; it made me wonder where the comforting greyness of October was hiding. In its defense I would be hiding from Hemlock Grove too.

I got inside the old car and started the engine, placing the GPS app in front of me before backing out of the driveway. It's an understatement to say this car is old, the more accurate description would be a twenty-year-old chunk of metal that occasionally runs. How it survived an eight-hour drive is beyond my comprehension.

I turned on the radio to distract myself, but the voices of the local radio station were unintelligible, and their speech was delayed and confusing; I ended up smacking it and turning it off.

By the time I got to school, the parking lot was full. There appeared to be no empty spaces, though one classic red Jaguar circled the area in a hopeless search. I was about to give up and find a distant spot when the impossible happened: an empty space on the opposite side of the parking lot appeared in my line of sight, closer to the school, spacious, and with a tree in the corner providing the perfect amount of shade.

Unfortunately, the driver of the beautiful Jaguar seemed to have the same idea as me and started to slowly maneuver his way through the area. Beside him I proceeded cautiously, avoiding running over students on the very first day as I sped up and eventually passed him.

As I was stabilizing the vehicle in, my attention was directed to the loud sound of a car beeping. I looked up and was almost blinded by the bright red, the sun bouncing off the strong color in my rear-view mirror.

I saw that the driver was gesturing for me to roll down my window, so I stopped my car but very slowly and hesitantly. What could he possibly want? We were both looking for a spot and I just happened to get there first.

A pale and sleek looking guy poked his head out of the window, the expression on his face giving no indication whether he was mad or not. My lips parted involuntarily when I saw him, I didn't expect to see someone ridiculously good looking.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked impatiently.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I shouted since there was a lot of incoherent buzz around us.

"You can't park there. It's reserved for disabled people." He announced it like he was indirectly accusing me of something.

I was sure there was no any sign, but I looked around and double-checked anyway. "Really? But there's no sign, and I didn't see a warning on the floor."

He sighed with obvious annoyance, focusing his attention on his rear-view mirror as he slid a hand through his soft looking hair. "Yeah, some kids stole the sign last week. Pricks. The school hasn't fixed it yet, don't know what they're waiting for." He said indignantly before glancing at me again. "I have a broken leg, I fell down a whole flight of stairs. Tragic stuff, look I don't wanna bore you with the details but legally this spot belongs to me."

My eyes popped open at the image. "You have a permit?" Although he sounded convincing I couldn't be sure this guy was telling me the truth. It would be pretty messed up to lie about being physically disabled just to get a parking spot. Obviously, it didn't cross my mind that someone could actually do that.

He nodded his head. "I do. I have an ID permit in the back." He stared at me shortly. "So, are you moving or...?"

Against my better judgment, I decided to trust him. "I'm sorry then, I couldn't possibly know, I'm new here." I explained quietly as I rolled up my window. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a few girls watching me with confusion from afar; less than five minutes here and I was probably already labeled as the new weirdo who tried to claim the parking spot reserved for disabled people.

"No shit." I thought I heard him respond but it was so muffled I couldn't be sure. I'm not one to judge a person based on first impressions, but this guy had no reason to be one sigh away from lashing out his fists. It was an innocent mistake from my part.

A building lay straight ahead of the school, so I gave him my spot and parked my car there. I was taking the key out of the ignition and trying to spot him in the middle of the little groups when I came to the conclusion that he was already gone. If he had a broken leg he sure as hell moved it fast and I immediately began to doubt everything he told me.

I slung my backpack over my shoulder and checked my phone to calculate how much time I had left before the bell rang. Ten minutes. I decided to inspect the veracity of his tragic story.

I crossed the street and quickly headed to the school's parking lot, walking around to the back of his Jaguar to make sure he possessed the identification permit. Tragically I couldn't stop my hands from curling into fists when I neared the car plate.

"Son of a..."

There was no ID and there was no way this guy was physically disabled since I could now see three empty accessible spots in a side of the parking lot I didn't explore, spots that were even closer to the school. How could I be so dumb? How could I be so naive?! I shook my head in disbelief, I couldn't believe someone went out of their way to do this.

Fuming but stuffing my frustration inside, I stepped away from the vehicle and swallowed dryly. His intention wasn't to humiliate me since no one was really paying attention, with the exception of three girls in the distance who looked genuinely confused, so he must've lied exclusively to get the space. I had no other choice but to suck it up for now, though there was no way I was going to let this slide.

I was trying to look over people's heads to see the entrance of the school when I registered some curious heads turning my way. Shyness crept over but I kept my composure, holding my head high. Let's just say I'm not great with crowds and I get slightly claustrophobic entering unfamiliar places.

As I walked into the hall I nervously scanned the doors around me to search for a sign that would be direct me to the administrative offices. Finally, I looked on the door of a classroom across from me and found the small area.

I managed to get everything signed up fast, and by the time the serious man, whose nameplate said Mr. Harris, asked me to sign the last forms, the bell had already rung.

English was my first class. I walked in cautiously while the teacher cleared his throat and looked at me disapprovingly. Maybe I was imagining things, but everyone I encountered in Hemlock Grove so far seemed to be in a bad mood or a complete liar.

"Hi, I'm Nora. This is my first day, I'm supposed to give you this." I said politely as I held up the respective papers. The teacher glanced at me nodding his head and taking the forms in his hands.

As he was going through the pages I could hear the whole class talking in murmurs and looking at me standing there so I froze anxiously and looked back at them.

My eyes scanned the different faces and soon enough my attention landed on a particular pale one. I thought my eyes tricked me at first but no. That fraud was sitting in the back! I held in a gasp and sent him in a venomous glare that had no effect whatsoever, he looked away too quickly, unimpressed.

He was also a senior which meant he was probably in most of my classes which meant I was forced to deal with him almost every day from now on. Could this situation get any more infuriating?

The teacher briefly introduced me to the class and guided me to choose a seat. There were only two and I made the impulsive decision of sitting in the front row. I hate sitting in the front mainly because the teacher tends to easily catch up on how lost I get. And I get lost a lot. I'm an overall average student, however it's hard for me to concentrate with the teacher watching so closely.

I had this overwhelming urge to chew him out for what he did but all I could do was glance over my shoulder occasionally. He never met my eye and looked very focused on whatever it was he was writing or drawing on his notebook.

I could feel my brain losing focus to every little thing happening around me, so when the bell finally rang I almost sighed in relief and gathered my books quickly, preparing to position myself to talk to him.

He was clearly in a hurry to go somewhere so I gave him a tap on his shoulder to get his attention once we reached the hall. I didn't expect him to be so tall since he spent the class hunched over on his table, but I wasn't going to let his height or his pretty face distract me.

"Sorry, which leg did you break?" I played dumb.

"What?" He was caught off guard.

I put on a friendly expression. "You said you broke your leg, earlier in the parking lot, remember? I was just wondering which leg was it? Again I'm sorry, I'm new here, I truly didn't know."

He almost smiled before he caught himself and his emotionless expression returned. Asshole. "Right leg. My femur snapped in two, the force of the collision rammed it out of its socket." He said it so convincingly, I was tempted to believe him again.

I glanced down at his right leg and he followed my eyes, his full lips pouting slightly. Despite the intense annoyance and irritation, I had to admit this guy had a pretty good sense of style. "It's quite impressive, you don't limp. At all." I said with a hint of sarcasm, wondering how long he was going to keep up with this charade.

He moved a little closer to me and I couldn't help feel like my personal space was under attack. "I recovered significantly. What can I say? God gave me a second chance, and I found power in my walk with Jesus. I'm a survivor." He made the sign of the cross. You have to be kidding me.

I opened my mouth to call him out for his bullshit but for some reason all I did was stand there frozen, unsure of what to say. I don't know what caused that reaction, it was as if he put a spell on me and made my mind go blank. His grey eyes were confident and direct and I wasn't able to maintain eye contact for long.

He tilted his head slightly to the side. "Was that all?"

I slowly nodded my head and looked away to avoid showing him how much he was affecting me. It was pathetic yet I couldn't stop my face from growing red.

"Welcome to Hemlock Grove." He winked at me and left, leaving me there fuming and trying to understand what the hell had just happened.


End file.
